Flo Rida sues Boca Raton-based energy drink maker Celsius

BOCA RATON, Florida. South Florida rapper Flo Rida is suing energy drink maker Celsius Holdings Inc. from Boca Raton, alleging that the company owes him thousands of dollars in unpaid royalties from his advertising deal.

The lawsuit, filed in Broward County Court in 2021, seeks damages of more than $30,000 for “breach of contract, accounting and unjust enrichment.”

According to the lawsuit, “Flo Rida has maintained a successful partnership with Celsius that has very effectively opened new doors for Celsius and its products.”

“As a music industry superstar and an international icon with millions of digital followers, Flo Rida has played an important role as a brand ambassador worldwide and ushered in a new era for the development, growth and expansion of the Celsius brand,” the lawsuit says.

The partnership, brokered by Wellington-based D3M Licensing Group in 2014, “paved the way for Celsius to expand its product portfolio” and expand distribution to major retailers, the lawsuit says.

According to the lawsuit, the deal guaranteed payments to Flo Rida, whose legal name is Tramar Dillard, to his Hialeah-based Strong Arm Productions and D3M upon meeting certain benchmarks.

“However, once the benchmarks were met and product revenues resulted in additional royalties, Celsius was unable to provide the required compensation to which Flo Rida, Strong Arm and D3M were entitled,” the lawsuit alleges.

Celsius Holdings Inc. issued the following statement to WPTV:

Lawyers for both sides will present their arguments Tuesday in a Broward County courtroom.